President Trump ‘in no rush’ to see North Korea give up nuclear weapons

President Donald Trump said that he wants to see North Korea eventually give up its nuclear weapons programme, but adds he is not in any rush because US relations with Pyongyang are good going into next week’s summit.

“I have no pressing time schedule,” President Trump said.

He said his second meeting with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un on February 27-28 in Hanoi, Vietnam, would be “very exciting”, but did not disclose details of what he hoped would be achieved.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Korean Central News Agency/AP)

He said he discussed the upcoming summit during a phone call earlier in the day with South Korea President Moon Jae-in and will speak on Wednesday with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“I look forward to being with Chairman Kim and I think a lot of things will come out of it,” President Trump said.

“We had a tremendous first summit — it was really breaking the ice, but a lot of things came from that, including good relationships.”

President Trump noted that North Korea has not tested any rockets or missiles or nuclear weapons in months and said as long as testing has ceased, he is in no rush.